This invention concerns the discovery that a selected group of iminocarbonylphosphonates are useful for controlling the growth of plants, particularly for preventing bud break and retarding the growth of woody plants.
Bucha and Langsdorf, in pending application Ser. No. 254,670, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,102 teaches the use of certain dialkylcarbamoylphosphonates as plant growth retardants. And Langsdorf discloses related compounds also useful as plant growth retardants, such as ammonium ethyl carbamoylphosphonate, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,353.
The present invention results from efforts to develop new compounds that could be applied in areas such as power line rights-of-way where low-growing and slowgrowing vegatation is especially desirable.